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Here are some things on my mind this Friday: As the summer hits, I’m going to include some personal notes in this week’s edition. It’s interesting how often I hear, when discussing volatile issues of our time with Christians (even pastors), the phrase, “I just feel…” or “I just think…” lead off their statement. On […]

Few preachers look forward to the opportunity to ask the church for money. We don’t look forward to having our motives questioned, people getting irritable, or doing the “talk of shame” to encourage the church to give to meet budget. If that’s what we think happens in the process of asking the church for money, all of those things will happen–and they should. There is no vision or spirituality behind “the ask,” and the asker lacks personal conviction that encourages people to give.

Recently, the Chronicle of Philanthropy published it’s study on charitable giving. As is often the case, data beats stereotypes when it comes to generosity. Here are some quotes from their study: “Religion has a big influence on giving patterns. Regions of the country that are deeply religious are more generous than those that are not. […]